


The Asgards' New Princess

by Buffyworldbuilder



Series: Atonements and Fresh Starts [7]
Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:00:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24876556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffyworldbuilder/pseuds/Buffyworldbuilder
Summary: Cordelia is brought to Asgard and freed from her mystical coma by the All-Father. Now she must learn to adjust to what has happened to her all while charming the Asgardians. When she returns to Earth, she will NOT be pleased by Angel's changes. Sunnydale characters and Angel both featured.
Series: Atonements and Fresh Starts [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1766362
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own** **_Angel_ ** **or** **_BTVS_ ** **or** **_Marvel_ ** **comics. Only this story is mine, not the characters.**

**This story follows "Metamorphosis" but could be read alone.**

Chapter 1: Asgard's New Princess

_*****Still in Asgard*****_

Cordelia Chase knew she'd been having a lot of bad days. First, there was the fact that her memory of the past year was a blank. There were flashes but nothing substantial. A growing sense of wrongness filled her. Something bad had happened to her. The senses that had been first honed on a hellmouth and then in Los Angeles, the city of all kind of non-angelic beings, were blaring loudly.

The old man said again, "You are safe."

The kindness in his eyes reminded her of her late grandfather. She looked down at what she was wearing. It was a shimmering white night gown of some kind. "Well, the threads are nice," she said. "But I have no idea where Asgard is or who you are. Who is she?" She pointed to the attractive older woman next to him.

"I am Frigga. His wife, queen of Asgard," the pretty woman said with a friendly smile.

Although she still felt discombobulated, Cordy began to relax. There clearly wasn't an imminent threat. If she was queen, it made the old guy king. "Nice to meet you. I'm Cordelia Chase," she said as she swung her legs to the side of the bed. Her head felt dizzy, and she winced.

"Be careful," Frigga warned. "You've been in a coma for a few months. Don't try to get up yet. Your body needs time to adjust.

"A coma?" she asked in alarm. "What happened? Where's Angel and Wesley? Gunn?"

"Your friends are safe back on Midgard," Odin replied.

Cordelia frowned in confusion. "Midgard? Where's that?" she asked.

"Earth," Frigga answered. "Your friends know two women who are dear to us. Willow and Tara. They asked us to help you when their magic could not bring you out of your coma."

Cordelia's eyes widened in alarm. If something had been so wrong that Willow couldn't help her, it was pretty bad. Then she realized what they were saying. "Wait! I'm not on Earth?" she asked in a panic. "Since when do we know people on another planet?" Then she thought of Pylea and relaxed. "We're in another dimension?"

"Not exactly. Asgard lives in one of the nine realms that I protect. It's still the same dimension as yours but another planet," Odin explained.

"Seriously?" she said. "Cool!"

"You were possessed by a demonic force of some kind. They used your body as a vessel for an Old One of great power," Odin explained.

"Aaaghh! What is wrong with demons that they think I make a perfect demon mother?" she asked in horror. "Did Angel tell you that that is the _second_ time I have been impregnated with demon spawn? Can you imagine the horror?"

Odin tried to keep a serene look upon his ancient face, but the young human was so different from the two young witches. He fought the desire to smile and mostly won the battle.

Frigga, though, looked properly sympathetic. "That is truly awful, my dear!" she sympathized.

"Unfortunately, the last one was particularly powerful and evil. I was able to remove enough of the taint to wake you up, but it will take some time before you can return to Midgard," Odin explained.

"Oh," Cordelia said with a frown. "Can I call and let them know I am okay?"

"No," Odin said. "However, I can contact my chosen warrior Alexander Harris. He can relay the message."

Cordelia's mouth fell open in shock. "Xander? Xander Harris is your chosen warrior? Seriously? The Zeppo?" she asked.

"It is because of Alexander that I chose to help you. It was he that contacted me, beseeching my aid," Odin explained.

Cordelia looked confused. "Seriously? How? He's not a witch. He has no powers," she said.

"He is a human who gives selflessly of himself to keep the hellmouth from consuming Earth. I found him worthy," Odin explained. "He showed me you. Our minds are connected. He showed me that you, too, were worthy of my aid."

Cordelia was struck speechless. Then she gave a faint smile. "Yeah, well, I saw his potential first!" she proclaimed. "But then he had to go cheat on me and break my heart. It's always Willow or Buffy with him. Hard for a girl to compete."

"He has chosen to share the Slayer's burden even though the calling is not his own. I believe you did the same them with your vampire friend, Angel," Odin said.

"Xander told you that?" she asked, surprised.

"He told me some, but Angel himself told me about your gift of foresight that you use to save people," Odin shared.

"Not even the All-Father can see the future," Frigga said. "It is an extraordinary gift."

Cordelia felt confused again. "Who's the All-Father?" she asked.

"Excuse us. We are amiss," Frigga said. "My husband is Odin, the King of Asgard and rule of the Nine Realms. His title is All-Father as he is the most powerful being in the Nine Realms."

"Wow! That sounds mega cool!" Cordy said, impressed.

The couple wasn't quite adept at Earth colloquialisms, but they could follow the spirit of her words.

"A light repast will be brought to you, child," Frigga said.

"That's good. I'm starving!" Cordelia said.

"In the morning, I will work with cleansing you further," Odin said.

"Can I take a shower after I eat?" Cordelia asked, feeling grimy.

"I will have a servant help you," Frigga said.

"A female, right?" she asked.

"Of course," Frigga said with a smile.

Cordy looked around at the large room that was obviously a medical room of some kind. She'd been in worse places.

***** _Two Days Later*****_

After two days of staying in the medic room with only a few visits from the king and queen, she was finally allowed to go to her own room. It was like a five-star hotel room. She beamed at the servant who took her to her new quarters. "This is amazing! Thank you so much!" she gushed, hugging the servant. The servant, a young girl of about eighteen, had been tasked with caring for their guest. Her name was Nokemi, and she found the human strange but kind.

"Kemi, look at this place!" Cordy exclaimed. "Are all the rooms this nice?"

"This is the palace of the All-Father," the servant replied.

Cordelia laughed and jumped on the bed.

"Your clothes are here," Kemi said, gesturing to the closet.

"I have clothes?" Cordelia asked, her eyes widening. She jumped off the bed and ran to look. Beautiful gowns were hanging.

"In the drawers is under things in your size," Kemi told her.

Cordelia flashed her that wide smile of hers. "I love being a princess again!" she exclaimed. She felt like one staying here.

That evening she was able to dress up in one of the nicest gowns that was a deep purple and had jewels sewn into the borders and trim. It flowed downward even as it hugged her figure. The girls were on prime display. Although her hair had grown to her shoulders, she had Kemi pull it up into a French twist, leaving her attractive neckline on display. She looked stunning and knew it.

When she made it to the dining room, the king and queen were at each head of the table. Two men were on each side. One was a brunette and one a blonde. The blonde looked vaguely familiar. Both men stood when she entered.

"Lady Cordelia, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person," the blonde said, flashing her a warm smile.

His smile reminded her of Gru, so she returned it. "Thanks. It's good to be able to join you," she said. Thor held out the chair next to him for her to sit in.

"You look beautiful, my lady," the man said.

"Thanks. I had these beautiful gowns in my room," she said. She smiled at the queen. "Thanks, guys, for the clothes. They are so incredible!"

"They look lovely on you, dear," Lady Frigga said.

"You know that the proper address for my mother is, your majesty or Lady Frigga?" the blonde said.

"I'm an American," Cordelia said with a shrug. "And guys whose name I don't know, don't get to tell me what to do."

Loki grinned in amusement at the woman. She didn't seem overly charmed by his brother—that was a first. And Thor was right. The human looked exquisite.

"Forgive me," the man said with a bow. "I am Thor Odinson. Their son and heir. That is Loki, my brother."

A lightbulb went off in Cordelia's head. "You're the guy who led the alien invasion in New York City, endangering countless clothes stores and killing hundreds?" she asked.

"He did do that," Thor admitted in shame. "But we imprisoned him for two years. He's reforming."

Cordelia couldn't say exactly what came over her. However, to the onlookers, she took on a white, celestial glow, and a beam of light shot out of her, hitting Loki and knocking him from his chair.

Both the All-Father and his wife stood up in alarm. There had been no sign of the human having such power. Frigga ran to her son's side to check on his welfare.

Thor was torn. Was the woman an enemy or a wronged party? When the woman's face ceased glowing, he relaxed. He was used to his brother angering people on first meeting. Even his sweet Jane had decked Loki when they first met.

"Cordelia, please calm yourself," his father said.

"What happened?" she asked, blinking at the mess of the table and Loki getting slowly to his feet. He eyed her warily.

"Why did you attack my son?" Lady Frigga asked angrily.

"I did?" Cordelia asked in surprise.

"Are you a sorcerer like Willow and Tara?" Thor asked.

"No, I'm not a witch," Cordelia said. Then she blanched. "Well, I have these visions that were killing me because they were too much for a human body to handle. Angel asked for help on my behalf. They made me part demon, so I can bear the visions. They used to give me these agonizing headaches like you wouldn't imagine. Now it's nothing. Or it was. Not sure if I still have the visions."

"You do," Odin said. He moved around the table to get closer to her. Taking her hand, he peered closer into her eyes. "However, you are not part demon."

"I'm not?" she asked in surprise.

He was silent as he tried to understand the implications. Then he spoke, "A celestial has altered you. It's probably why you were chosen as a vessel for the Old One. A regular demon-human hybrid would not have been able to handle a birth. You didn't birth a child but a fully grown Old One. Only a woman touched by a higher power could have done such a thing. The aspects of demon are always grotesque, reflecting the nature of more demon origins. What we saw was white—it was pure like the sun."

"Seriously?" Cordelia asked, stunned. "I'm a celestial being?"

"Somewhat," Odin said, nodding. "Loki is immune to magical attacks. Whatever power came out of you wasn't magical in nature. It was power inside you. That power had to come from somewhere."

Cordelia grinned. "Way, cool! That means I have something no one else on Earth has! Not just these visions of death and murder but something even better!" she bragged.

"You will need to learn to control this. Your anger at Loki's actions on Earth caused your power to activate without conscious thought on your part," Odin explained.

"Huh," Cordy said with a frown. "That's kind of freaky." She looked at Loki. "I could apologize since I didn't actually mean to attack you, but since you thought it was okay to invade my planet, you'll just have to get over it."

Thor laughed—loudly. Cordy couldn't help but smile at him. She didn't notice Loki's annoyed expression.

***** _A Week Later*****_

After a week of living the life of a princess, Cordelia was ready to go home. Paradise was all well and good, but she was bored. Then Lady Frigga introduced her to Lady Sif, and Cordy finally made the first real girlfriend she'd ever had besides Willow. She supposed Buffy was her friend, but they were never close. She had thought Willow had been her friend then she'd kissed Xander and hurt her deeply. Fred was her friend, but she was more like a little sister. They were too different to be close. Wesley and Angel were her best friends. And Gunn. Then she realized something. Cordy didn't know how to make friends with other women. Women found her brass and off-putting, or they were jealous of her.

Lady Sif, however, was a fighter and a lady—her title declared her to be one. Thor had introduced her to him and said she and his Warriors Three were his closest companions.

"You have your own Scooby Gang," Cordelia said with a grin.

Of course, they were confused and didn't get her reference until Thor's eyes lit up. "Scooby-Doo! I have viewed that dog on the television box that Jane has!" he exclaimed. "He is quite an eater—that dog. He puts my friend Volstagg to shame."

"Thor and I are going to train. The Warriors are vising their families. Since my family is Heimdall, I am here," Lady Sif explained.

"The hottie with the weird glasses is your brother?" Cordelia asked with a grin.

"Hottie?" Lady Sif asked in confusion.

"Oh, I know that one! Darcy says I am a hottie," Thor said proudly. "It means hot stuff as in stud muffin as in attractive to the ladies."

Cordelia laughed at him. "You really are a just a pretty face, aren't you?" she asked.

"I believe my Jane finds all of me pretty," he declared proudly.

Lady Sif rolled her eyes. "He's insufferable, isn't he?" Cordy asked knowingly.

"You have no idea," she said.

"Oh, I do. I have several close guy friends. I know how it is," Cordelia said. "I'm pretty bored, so how about you let me join you?"

Thor looked surprised. "You are a warrior?" he asked, looking out her doubtfully. Although he knew that Clint's sister was a tiny warrior, Cordelia seemed too much like a real queen to fight.

"Well, I grew up on a hellmouth and literally fought for my right to graduate in high school when our town's mayor turned into a forty-foot snake at graduation. Then I went to Los Angeles and spent four years helping Angel fight forces of darkness there. I don't get as much action as everyone 'cause I'm vision gal, but I can hold my own," she shared. "Before my coma, Angel was teaching me sword play."

"Really?" Lady Sif asked eagerly. "It is rare that I get to spar with a woman. Would you like to change and join us?"

"Sure," Cordelia said, excited.

She didn't notice the eyes that were watching her. Ever since she'd knocked Loki on his ass with her power, he couldn't help but watch her. She, of course, barely acknowledged his existence. Even now when he was in the same room, his brother gave him a cursory nod and both women ignored him. Lady Sif's contempt was well-known, but the new woman had decided to hate him without knowing him. Why one bad day's work on his part would condemn him forever was beyond his understanding. Humans were an unforgiving lot. He tried to kill his own brother, and yet Thor didn't hold it against him—much.

After a week of observing her, Loki had determined that Cordelia was an extraordinary woman. Although he found her brassiness a bit unsettling, her lack of infatuation with Thor made her all the more appealing to him. He had observed them closely the past week and found nothing about Thor seemed to attract Cordelia, which was gratifying to realize.

He followed them into the sparring room. Lady Sif gave him a cold look but didn't object to his presence. Unfortunately, Cordelia was more vocal. "Look. It's my stalker," she said.

"Excuse me?" Loki asked, not appreciating her description of him.

"It seems like everywhere I go you are there," Cordelia said.

"As immortals, life can grow repetitive. You are interesting and new," Loki said easily. "I'm sure after a while, you'll prove to be as dull as most humans I have met."

"Except for Lady Willow and Lady Tara," Thor said. The he winked at his brother. "Lady Tara especially, right, brother?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cordelia asked. "You know they're both lesbians? Lovers of _one another_?"

Loki smiled in amusement. "Yes, I am aware," he said.

"He became quite good friends with Lady Tara. She shamed him into behaving like my brother again," Thor said, elbowing his brother.

"I've never actually had the pleasure of meeting Willow's girlfriend. I was friends with her boyfriend and first love, Oz. He's a werewolf and a really great guy," Cordelia said.

When Loki didn't seem surprised by that but Thor did, she knew that Loki was really friends with Tara. How strange!

"Are we going to spar or what?" Lady Sif asked impatiently.

"By all means, my lady," Thor said, gesturing.

Lady Sif and Thor sparred enthusiastically for a time. Cordy was impressed at the girl's moves. "I bet she could beat Buffy—she's really good," Cordelia observed.

Loki straightened as she spoke and initiated conversation with him for the first time. "I have not seen the Slayer in battle, although I have heard much about her," Loki said. "Tara said she beat a hell god with a magical hammer similar to Thor's more majestic one."

"I missed out on that one. L. A. may not have a hellmouth, but it has millions of people and an evil law firm promoting more evil, so it kept us busy," Cordelia said.

"Do you miss your friends?" Loki asked.

"I do. I've got to get back to Angel. I'm sure he's a mess without me. Odin says I should be able to go home soon," she said.

Loki nodded and then he watched as Cordelia took her turn sparring with Lady Sif. All of them were surprised when Cordelia could actually spar with a sword. Lady Sif, of course, could have disarmed her at any point and did eventually. However, Cordelia met her blow for blow for several minutes.

Thor clapped. "Well done, my lady. You are quite fierce!" he said with admiration.

"Yes, it's—ah!" She yelled as a short stab of pain hit her head and images flashed. "Oh, it's a vision. I see fire. No, wait. They're demons—some type of Fire Demons. They're appearing in a place I've never been to. I see a guy—a very pretty guy with a sword."

"What?" Thor asked in alarm at her description.

"Fire demons?" Lady Sif asked in surprise. "They are in Muspelheim. Why would she know about them?"

"No!" Cordelia said. "They are not at their home. They are here. Or rather they are near Asgard somewhere. I kept seeing this guy. He's blondish but not like Spike. He's got this sword. He's fighting them." Her eyes opened. "If you don't get to him, he's going to die."

"Why would she get a vision of a guy with a sword? All the men here have swords," Lady Sif said in bemusement.

"Yet only one is known as the finest swordsman in all of the realms," Loki pointed out.

"Fandral?" Thor asked in alarm. "Fire Demon are about to hurt Fandral?"

"He's in Vanaheim," Lady Sif said. "We must go to him now."

"Thank you, my lady," Thor said, squeezing her hand. He and Lady Sif ran off.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine," she said weakly.

Loki reached for her arm. "Let's have a seat. You seem out of sorts," he said.

"Well, my visions weren't supposed to hurt me anymore. That one wasn't as bad as others I've had, but there was a stabbing pain that caught me off guard," she admitted as he sat her down in a chair.

Loki instructed the guard that never strayed far from him to bring her some refreshment. The guard stepped into the hall. A short moment later, Cordelia was given a drink that tasted fruity.

"Thanks," she said, smiling at him. Then she realized it was Loki and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you being nice to me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked with a careless shrug. "You are a guest in my home."

"Don't think I'm going to suddenly start trusting you, bucko! I know a conniving blackguard when I see one!" she told him with a suspicious look.

"Of course," he said, enjoying her frankness. "I expect nothing less. But maybe you should go lie down in your room? I will tell the All-Father what has occurred."

"Okay," she said. "Do you think Thor will get there to save that guy?"

"Thor and his Warriors Three have been by his side, along with Lady Sif, since they learned to battle. I cannot imagine that he would fail to save his closest friend," Loki said.

Cordelia's eyes widened. "I saw a vision of someone close to him?" She asked. Loki nodded. "Wow! That's a first. I didn't know my powers would work here. I thought they were just earthbound powers."

"It seems you are extraordinarily gifted, my lady," he said, giving her an admiring glance. Then he took leave to share his news.

It wasn't until the next morning that Thor returned during their morning repast to give them the good news.

"We made it just in time. The Fire Demons had just begun to engage Fandral and his men," Thor shared.

"He is unharmed?" Lady Frigga asked.

"Oh, a singe or two. Nothing of import," Thor said dismissively. "Lady Sif stayed to investigate how they got through Vanaheim's defenses."

"It appears we owe our guest a great thanks," Odin said, smiling at Cordelia.

Cordy liked attention and normally basked in it, but there admiring glances made her flush. Too much Asgardian approval at once. However, she could get used to it.

_*****A Week Later*****_

It was time for to say goodbye. Odin had declared the day before that she was fit to return home if she wanted to. Lady Frigga, of course, did not want to say goodbye to another human she'd grown to care for and tried to convince her to stay.

"Lady Sif could do with more female friends such as yourself, and Fandral was most smitten with you," Lady Frigga said.

Cordy grinned. It was true. About five days earlier, he had appeared with Lady Sif to thank her for her divine intervention. He was an incorrigible, but Cordy had liked him immensely. The way Loki looked upon him with annoyance was even more amusing to the former cheerleader. Flirting with Fandral had been fun, but it made her homesick.

"My visions are meant to help the champion of Earth—Angel. I can't just abandon him," Cordy said. "But maybe Thor can bring me back for a visit some time?"

"It would be my pleasure," Thor said.

"Do you think it's safe to let her go back there unescorted?" Loki asked.

"Thor, you will escort Cordelia to her friends," his mother told her.

"I, too, would like to go," Loki said. "We could see Tara in Sunnydale—and Willow. She told me they would be there until the term ends in May."

"Probably want to be there for apocalyptic season," Cordy said knowingly. "It's always in May for some reason."

The Asgardians were all staring at her in bemusement. Although Willow had been often casual about the horrors of her home, she didn't have the same frankness that Cordelia possessed.

"So it's apocalypse season?" Loki asked. "All the more reason that I should go make sure the women stay safe."

Cordelia laughed at him. "If Willow can restore Spike's soul with basically a wave of her hand, she can totally keep her girl safe," she said. "Face it. Men are now irrelevant except for reproduction needs. But give us time, and I'm sure we'll figure out how to reproduce without them!"

Odin found her amusing while Frigga looked more than a bit unsettled. Thor was aghast as Loki laughed at her. "I'm sure you will," Loki told her. He looked at his father. "Can I accompany Thor to Earth?"

"You know that SHIELD does not want you on Earth, Loki," Thor pointed out.

"It will be just for a day. We'll go see Tara and Cordelia can visit her hometown and friends before we take her back to the city of angels," Loki said.

"Los Angeles," Cordelia said. Then she grinned. "I would like to go see the old haunts and see Xander again. To thank him for sending Odin to help me."

Loki frowned, not liking the idea of her ex in the picture in any way. Then he brightened when Cordy continued, "I haven't gotten a chance to see him since he hooked up with that demon chick, Anya. Can you believe he's dating an ex-vengeance demon? She was the Patron Saint of Scorned Women. Xander obviously feels like he still needs to be punished for cheating on me."

"I look forward to seeing him again," Loki said with an easy smile. Although he'd briefly met the human when he'd went with the All-Father to Earth, he hadn't paid the man too much attention. Now, though, he would see just what kind of man Cordelia was attracted to.

***** _Chapter End*****_


	2. An Earthly Surprise

_*****Sunnydale*****_

Thor brought his brother and Cordelia to the same place he had previously when he arrived in Sunnydale—at the Slayer's home.

Immediately, Loki could sense the malevolence from the hellmouth. "This place reeks of dark energy," he remarked.

"Hello? Hellmouth! Of course, it does!" Cordelia said with a snort.

"I know. I have been here before, you know," Loki said dryly. "It just is startling each time. I sensed nothing like this in New York."

"That's 'cause New York doesn't have a hellmouth. Cleveland, Ohio does, though, so if you go there, you might sense something," Cordelia replied. "But it's a baby hellmouth. This is the most active one on Earth, I believe. Of course, large cities like New York and Los Angeles attract dark creatures. Why are we at Buffy's? Is someone living here?"

"Tara and Willow are," Loki said. They went to the backdoor and knocked.

Willow opened the door. She grinned excitedly when she saw Cordelia. "Oh, my goddess! You're awake!" she exclaimed, grabbing and hugging Cordelia.

"Yep. I'm all better," Cordelia said, returning her hug.

Tara came into the kitchen to see what was going on. She smiled to see her friend. "Loki! What are you doing here?" she asked. The three stepped into the kitchen, the men taking up all the room.

"The All Father agreed I could escort Lady Cordelia to Earth," he said, embracing Tara.

"Good to see you again, Thor," Willow said, hugging him.

"It is good to be seen," he said.

"I wanted to see you guys and Xander before heading to Los Angeles," Cordelia said.

"Oh, Cordelia, I don't think you've ever actually met my girlfriend Tara," Willow said, introducing them. "Tara this is Cordelia."

"Nice to meet you," Tara said, giving her a shy smile. "I-I'm glad you're feeling better."

Cordelia could tell right away that Tara was a sweetheart, so she smiled warmly at her. "Thanks. Glad to finally meet the woman who helped Willow move on from Oz," she said.

Tara blushed.

"Lady Cordelia, how long shall you tarry here on the hellmouth?" Thor inquired.

"I want to see some friends, so I'd like to stay the night," she said. "It's okay, right?"

"Of course!" Willow assured her. "We have two open bedrooms."

"I would like to go see my Lady Jane," Thor admitted. He gave his brother a considering look. "Can I trust you to stay out of mischief? If Director Fury discovers you on Earth unchaperoned, he will be most upset."

"No one's gonna tattle," Cordelia said, rolling her eyes. "Right, guys?"

"We'll keep an eye on him," Willow assured Thor.

Thor knew that the witch could easily contain Loki if there was a problem, so he nodded. "Thanks. I will return tomorrow morning," he said.

"Later," Cordelia said, waving as he left.

"I can't believe you get to stay the night!" Tara exclaimed, grabbing Loki's hand. "Come into the living room and tell me what you've been up to."

Cordelia watched in dismay as the shy human brought out a genuine smile of warmth from Loki. After the two left the room, she looked at Willow. "So, your girlfriend? Wow! She's like the evil-guy whisperer or something!"

Willow smiled proudly. "She is amazing, Cordy. I already told Loki I'd find a way to kill him if he hurts her, but he seems to really love her," Willow said.

"In a platonic way, right? He's not trying to seduce your girl?" Cordelia wondered.

Willow laughed. "No. They're not like that. We spent several weeks in Asgard and his pain called out to her. She's the reason he's so pleasant now, though, so there might be something to the evil-guy whisperer or at least she's a Loki-whisperer," Willow shared.

"Well, he's been nice enough to me," Cordelia said. "It's so clear that he and Thor are not blood related."

"Yea, right?" Willow said with a grin. "Night and Day."

"I want to see Xander. Can you call him? I don't have his number or a phone anymore," she said with a grimace.

"Of course," Willow said. "My phone's upstairs. Come on up."

Cordelia followed her, noting all the changes in the house since Mrs. Summers had been alive. "I can't believe that Mrs. Summers is gone. Poor Buffy and Dawn," she remarked. The pictures on the wall on the stairwell were the same. She paused in front of one of Joyce, Buffy, and Dawn.

Willow saw her pause and gave her a knowing look. "Yea, it's hard to believe she's gone," she said.

"Is it weird being here?" Cordelia asked as she saw that Willow was about to go into the master bedroom. "You're in her old room?"

"It was at first," Willow said. "But Buffy had died, and Dawn needed us. It just made sense."

"How wiggy is it that Buffy was dead for months and came back?" Cordy asked as Willow picked up her phone.

A look of pain flashed on Willow's face. "It was awful when she was gone. Then wonderful that we brought her back back—until we found out we yanked her from heaven," Willow said.

Cordelia grimaced. "Yea, that's pretty sucky. But how could you know? I didn't even think heaven was real, but I knew there was a place where higher powers lived. I guess we should've figured," she said. "If there's hells, there has to be heavens."

"Do you think there's different kinds of heavens like different kind of hells?" Willow wondered.

"Probably. It makes sense, right? It's a balance," Cordelia said.

Willow nodded and held up her phone as it connected to Xander. "Xan, Cordelia's here. . .Yea, she's all better," she said. "Okay."

She hung up. "He'll be right over," she said.

"How about you call and tell him to meet us for lunch? I'd like to see the town again," Cordelia said. "I've not been back since graduation."

Willow nodded and called him back.

Downstairs, Loki was laughing as Tara recounted an amusing tale with their new witch in training. "He sounds as bright as my brother," Loki commented.

"Actually, Jonathan is very smart. That's the problem. Some spells don't require complication, but he tends to overthink thing," she said.

"Ah," Loki said, smiling. It was good to be with her. Her presence soothed him. Also, it was good to know that someone besides his mother cared about him. For a moment, a picture of Cordelia smiling flashed into his mind. He worked to squelch it. The human would never look upon him the way she did others, so why should he give her a thought?

Tara was sensitive to his moods and noticed the flash of something in his eyes. Sadness? "What's wrong?" she asked him.

Loki opened his mouth to reply when Willow and Cordy came downstairs. "We're going to take a walk around the old haunts. I want to see the new high school," Cordy said. "I can't believe they rebuilt the school directly over the hellmouth's entrance! It's like they'll never learn!"

"It's a state-of-the-art facility," Willow said. "All new computers and everything's shiny."

"I wonder if my old house was sold?" Cordelia wondered.

"I think so," Willow said. "Xander mentioned it once."

"We can show you the Magic Box. Giles owns it," Tara said.

"Oh, Faith's here," Willow told her. "You know that, right?"

"Really? Is she still homicidal?" Cordelia asked. "Oh, wait. Wasn't she in jail?"

"The government released her as long as she does her duty guarding the hellmouth," Willow said. "She has a team from SHIELD that helps. Sometimes the Avengers come, too."

"So she's doing her slaying thing? Not killing or maiming humans?" Cordy asked.

"No, she's been pretty focused actually. No problems so far," Willow said.

They headed to the high school. Tara and Loki trailed behind them. Cordy wondered what the two of them talked about.

She looked over her shoulder to see Loki smiling down at Tara. "That doesn't bother you? It's creepy!" Cordelia insisted.

Willow grinned. "No, it doesn't bother me. Tara isn't like me. She's never been into guys, so she'd never see him like that. He doesn't see her that way either," Willow said.

"How do you know?"

"Because he doesn't look at Tara the way he looks at you!" Willow teased, causing Cordelia to blush.

"Whatever," Cordelia said, not wanting to discuss the dark sheep of Thor's family.

"I can't believe the All-Father allowed you to come," Tara was saying to Loki, very excited that he was here.

"It is a boon," he agreed. He glanced ahead at Cordelia. It was still daylight, so there were no monsters jumping out at them.

Tara noticed him again looking at Willow's friend. "So how do you like Cordelia? She seems nice," Tara said.

Loki put on a mask of indifference. "She is fine for a Midgardian," he said dismissively.

Tara bit back a grin—his forced casualness spoked volumes. However, she didn't say anything further. Instead, she would just observe.

After touring the new school, they made it to the Magic Box, and Tara got to watch his face as Xander embraced Cordelia. He looked as unhappy as Anya.

"It's good to see you, jerkface," Cordelia said, looking him over. "You look basically the same. I heard you got blessed by Odin."

"Yes, the All-Father settled my psyche, basically," he explained. "The hyena, soldier—even the fish genes are kind of streamlined."

"So you're stronger?" she asked.

"A bit. Mostly my senses or situational awareness is through the roof," he replied. "If I was Spiderman, I'd say my spidey-sense is strong with the force."

"Way to garble all of them," Cordelia said, laughing at how goofy he still was. It was nice to see something a bit unchanged. A part of him was still the Xander she had known her entire life.

"Are you leaving town soon?" Anya asked, her hopeful tone not hard to miss.

Cordelia snorted. "Subtle much?" she asked.

"She doesn't have that word in her vocabulary," Willow said, grinning.

"I'm staying tonight, and then we're going to Los Angeles in the morning," Cordelia said.

"Well, we should go eat. Giles should be here soon," Willow said.

"Where is he?" Cordelia asked.

"He and Faith were checking out some dark alter she found last night," Xander replied.

"Home sweet hell still, huh?" Cordelia said with a grin.

"Yep," Xander said.

Anya was not pleased at all with the ease the two exes had with one another.

Neither was Loki. It was clear that Willow, Xander, and Cordelia had a connection that the rest of them didn't have. They grew up together—had known one another as children. Those bounds were strong. When the Watcher joined them, the group dynamics became even tighter. Loki felt like an outsider until Tara reached out and took his hand.

"Don't be bothered, Loki. They can't help it. They survived hell together. Cordelia was the original Scooby," Tara said. "She has an ease with them that I still don't have."

Loki immediately felt protective, forgetting his own annoyance. "You belong with them. Your lover adores you above all others," he reminded her.

"I know," Tara said, smiling to show she wasn't upset. "And in a few more years, I'll have the history with Xander maybe. But I don't yet, and it's okay."

Loki bristled at the idea that Tara might ever feel left out or neglected in any way. Tara loved him for it. With Loki, she was the special one. As much as she loved and appreciated her friends, she enjoyed his appreciation of her.

Cordelia was finding being back in Sunnydale more than a little disturbing. Things were the same but not. The high school was brand spanking new. Giles was in charge of a magic shop instead of a library, but there were books. That wasn't too weird. Xander looking hotter than ever and engaged to a former vengeance demon was the weirdest thing. She could tell that Anya didn't like Cordelia close to Xander and smiled when Anya had to mind the store while the rest of them went out to eat.

She hooked her arm through Xander's as they walked to the café down the block. "I can't believe you're dating the woman who almost destroyed our world with my wish," she said.

"I can't believe you were mad at _me_ and yet wished Buffy never came to Sunnydale," he replied.

"Yea, well, Buffy was the beginning of the end of my social status," Cordelia said.

"But you don't really regret it, do you?" Xander asked. "Did you want to stay ignorant and shallow?"

"There's something to be said for ignorance," Cordelia said. "But no. She changed my life, and so did you. So did Angel. There are so many hurting people in this world, Xander. How can we not do everything we possibly can to help them?"

Xander looked down at the girl he had loathed and loved with equal measure in surprise. She had become an incredible woman, and he wasn't surprised. He had known she would be extraordinary. It made him a bit sad that he no longer had a place in her life, but Cordy wasn't Buffy or Willow. He could feel the attraction simmering still between them after all the years apart.

"It's good to see you again, Cordy," he said as they went into the café.

"It's good to be seen," Cordy said. "From what I gather, I almost didn't get to see anyone again."

Willow heard her comment and said, "Yes, it was some really bad mojo that had a hold of you."

"I just can't believe that Angel is working for Wolfram & Hart," Xander said.

Cordelia looked stunned. "What?" she asked in a screech.

Loki moved to stand next to her, thinking she was hurt. "Are you well?" he asked.

"No, I'm not well! I'm going to kill Angel," she replied. "Please tell me you're joking because there is no way in hell that Angel would work for the firm that put us all through such hell for the past three years!"

"Not sure what to tell you, Cor," Xander said. "But it's true. I saw him there myself. They gave him the L.A. branch for some reason. He's in charge."

"He's in charge?" she asked in a high-pitched voice.

"Sorry, Cordy," Xander said.

Cordelia took a deep breath, calming herself. Then she pushed it out of her mind. "It's okay. I will focus on having a nice lunch and not think of all the ways I'm going to hurt Angel when I see him," she said.

Loki wasn't sure what upset her, but he kept an eye on her all through lunch. However, she managed to put aside her anger—like a true princess.

***** _The Next Day*****_

Cordelia was anxious to get to Los Angeles. Faith had met up with them by dinner. It was nice to see a slayer have an actual team of trained operatives to back her up. For nostalgia sake, she went patrolling with Faith. Loki did not like Tara in danger and got very upset at the idea that she would willing risk herself for mere mortals, unworthy of her sacrifice. Cordelia was both amused and insulted by his attitude. To appease him, Tara stayed at the shop with Anya and him.

Now it was time to say goodbye. Xander stopped by on his way to work. Since Anya wasn't there, Cordelia gave in to temptation and kissed him goodbye.

Tara looked at Loki's face and smiled knowingly. Now she knew for sure that her friend fancied Cordelia because she could tell that he wanted to kill Xander.

Faith whistled and gave a cat call. "I'm telling Anya!" she called out.

"I think you have a little crush," Tara teased Loki.

"A crush?" Loki asked, feigning ignorance of the term.

"You like Cordelia," Tara said, smiling.

"She is better than most humans I have met," he said with an air of indifference. However, Tara wasn't fooled.

"Is she human?" Tara asked. "Her aura doesn't exactly say that."

"I believe she thought she was half demon. However, the All-Father has said she has a celestial origin of some sort," Loki said.

"So she is worthy?" Tara inquired.

"Of what?" Loki asked, still playing ignorant.

"Of _you_ ," Tara said pointedly.

"I am an enemy of Earth, my lady. You know that I will never be anything else," Loki said with resignation.

"I don't see you that way," Tara said.

"You are without equal," he said, his devotion unwavering.

Tara hugged him, pleased by his friendship. He always made her feel good about herself. "I love you," she said. "Take care of yourself and try to stay out of trouble."

Loki could not remember the last time anyone said those words to him. His mother was the only one he could remember. Had a lover? He couldn't recall. Yet he knew that Tara said the words without expectation of anything. He smiled at her. Was he capable of love? Did he love her? He knew that some part of him still cared for his oaf of a brother, but his feelings for Thor were complicated, mixed with centuries of jealousy and resentment. With Tara, he had none of that. Maybe it was love that he felt for her. Regardless, he knew that he cared deeply for her—she mattered when so many others did not.

"You know, dear, that it is Thor who attracts the trouble," Loki said. Thor, hearing his brother's remarks, grinned unashamed.

"It is no fault of mine if I refuse to allow injustice to flourish whenever I encounter it," Thor said. He hugged Tara, happy to see the woman whose unconditional love had brought his brother from darkness. His Lady Jane did not believe that Loki was changed, but Thor could see it even now.

Loki scoffed while Tara giggled.

As for Xander and Cordelia, their goodbye was surprisingly emotional. "Why did you kiss me?" Xander asked.

"Because we never got a last kiss. I was too unforgiving even though you were sweet enough to buy my prom dress," Cordelia admitted.

"I'm sorry that I hurt you," Xander said. "I did love you."

Cordelia stared at him in surprise. "I wish you'd told me that then. It might've hurt less," she told him.

Xander hugged her. "Take care, Cordy. The world is a better place with you in it," he whispered.

Cordelia left feeling full. It was good to be home and know she could leave without any guilt or any thing holding her back. Now she would go home and see her friends. Hopefully, Angel would tell her that it was a mistake.

Because there was no way in any hell that she was working for Wolfram & Hart.

***** _Chapter End******_

_This story does parallel the beginning of "How to Save a Life Buffy Style." However, that story will move past this time line soon. Thanks so much for reading_


	3. Cordy Gets Pissed

_*****Next Day*****_

Cordy drove the car rental to Los Angeles. Thor sat in front while Loki rode in the back. It was strange having the two men in a car with her. She could meet Loki's eyes in the rear-view mirror. Although he seemed content to ride behind her, it was odd and disconcerting. She filled the silence with trivia about the City of Angels and some of her experiences there.

Finally, her car pulled into the parking lot across the street from Wolfram & Hart's downtown branch where Xander said Angel and the gang would be.

She led her two escorts to the front of the building and paused.

"Is everything all right?" Loki inquired, sensing her disquiet.

"No, it's not all right. My best friends are working for the devil or the earthly equivalent of it. The Wolf, Ram, and Hart are _actual_ demons who have got a foothold into this realm through their legal services. This is a bad, bad place, and I cannot _believe_ Angel would join them after all they put us through!" Cordelia exclaimed.

Thor's eyebrow went up. "The Wolf, Ram, and Hart are inside this building?" he asked, pulling out his hammer.

"Well, no, but they own it. They work their evil mojo through humans who sell their soul to get money and power on Earth," she explained.

"And your friends are inside?" Thor asked.

Cordelia nodded.

"Then we shall rescue them from the evil that has ensnared them!" Thor declared.

"Cool your jets, Prince Charming, but we can't do that. We need finesse not brute strength," she said.

When Thor frowned, Loki spoke, "What she means is, brother, you cannot hammer your way through this building."

"Exactly," Cordelia said. Then she reached for the door and opened it. They hadn't gone very far when an alarm sounded. Guards came at them from everywhere. It took the three of them less than two minutes to subdue all attackers.

"What the hell? I'm an invited guest of Angel, and you attack me? What's wrong with you people?" she asked. An elevator opened, and Wesley stepped out of it. He looked shocked to see Cordelia.

"Cordelia?" he asked walking slowly toward her.

She grinned. "Yep. It's me. I'm all better!" she announced, moving to embrace him.

"I can't believe it! How did this happen?" he asked, pulling back to examine her.

"What do you mean? Angel didn't tell you?" she asked.

"No," Wesley said, frowning.

"Willow and Tara told me they came here to try to wake me and couldn't, so they called their good friends, the Asgards," she said, gesturing to Thor and Loki. "Thor's dad, Odin, fixed me."

Wesley's eyes widened as he realized who she was with. "Oh, dear. The security measures attacked the Asgards? I am so sorry," he said. "It's an automatic thing with any possible threats."

"Not that it's not good to see you, Wes, but where's Angel? Where's Conner? How in the world did you guys agree to work for the enemy?" she asked.

Wesley looked confused. "Conner? Who's that?" he asked.

Cordelia's mouth fell open in dismay. "What do you mean? How can you not know Angel's son? You kidnapped him once, remember? Got kicked out off the team?"

"Angel is a vampire, Cordelia. He is not capable of reproducing," Wesley said, confused.

"Well, duh. But he and Darla did the deed, and a mystical pregnancy that fulfilled some prophecy got us Conner. He should be walking by now," Cordelia said. "Where is our baby?" She was getting more and more upset as it became very clear that Wesley had no idea what she was talking about.

"I'm sorry, Cordelia, I really think you're still confused from your coma," he said.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Maybe it's you that's confused. Why are you working for Evil, Incorporated, Wes? How could you do that or let Angel do it?" she demanded angrily.

The elevator opened, and Gunn and Fred stepped out, exclaiming joyfully at Cordelia's appearance.

"I can't believe it! You're awake and okay!" Fred gushed, hugging her tightly. Then Fred looked at her companions and her mouth fell open. "You're Thor the God of Thunder."

"I am," Thor said in amusement.

Fred glanced at Loki and paled. "That's your evil brother Loki, who led an alien invasion in New York!" she said, her voice ending on an eek.

"I assure you my brother is not evil, just misguided," Thor assured her.

"Misguided—like all of you working for our enemy," Cordy interjected. "What's up with that?" Her friends all looked guilty and unable to meet her eyes. She realized that Gunn was wearing an Armani suit, which was the freakiest thing of all.

"Angel insisted," Fred said. "He says we could do more good with their resources, using them for good."

"Seriously? Use evil's resources for good?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "Okay, I've heard enough. Wesley doesn't remember Conner, so obviously this place has already jacked with your heads."

"Conner?" Fred asked.

"You don't know Angel's son either?" she asked.

"Angel has a son?" Gunn asked in surprise. "How come I don't know that?"

"Vampires can't have children," Fred said.

Cordelia clenched her fists in frustration. She looked at the Asgards, who were watching attentively but silent. She motioned for them to step aside, so she could talk to them. "Listen, guys, something is seriously wrong. None of my friends seem to remember Conner, Angel's son. They were all there for his birth. He was a few months old when he was taken by Angel's enemy. I don't remember anything after that," she shared.

"Memory spells are seriously dark magic," Loki said.

"Hopefully, your friend Angel will know what's going on," Thor said.

Cordelia nodded, feeling scared and upset. Her anger at Angel was fading in light of her concern for Conner.

They loaded into an elevator and went to the top floor. Fred chatted away about her new job and projects. "Lorne is going to die when he sees you!" Fred said as the elevator opened.

"Lorne's here, too?" Cordelia asked in dismay. She wouldn't have believed that Lorne would sell out this way.

"Yes, he's in charge of the music and entertainment division," she said.

Cordelia said nothing, unable to believe what had happened to her friends. When she saw that Harmony was Angel's secretary, though, she cussed. "You've got to be ***ing kidding me! Harmony? The vampire who tried to turn me and double crossed us?"

"Cordy! Oh, my goodness! You're okay!" she gushed, moving to hug Cordelia but was stopped by Loki.

"Do not approach my lady if you want to live," Loki warned.

"I need to see Angel, Harmony. _Now_ ," Cordelia said firmly.

"He's in there," she said, pointing to the door behind her.

Cordelia moved forward, shadowed by Thor and Loki, her friends a step behind them.

"Angel?"

Angel looked up, joy on his face as he saw her. "You're okay!" he exclaimed.

He moved to embrace her. For a moment, Cordelia forgot her anger and responded to the joy. She hugged him and even kissed him. Then she pulled back and slapped him hard.

"You're working for Wolfram & Hart? Have you lost your ***ing mind? Am I still in a coma and this all an hallucination?" she asked.

Angel winced, rubbing his cheek, stepping back from her. "I can explain," he said.

"Angel, why don't they remember Conner?" she asked.

Angel blinked, surprised to hear his son mentioned. "You remember him?" he asked in a low voice.

"Of course, I do! Why don't they?" she asked, pointing back at their friends.

"Angel, what's she talking about?" Wesley asked.

Lorne came into the room. "Is my angel finally awake?" he asked.

Thor, seeing a demon, raised his hammer.

"No, Thor! He's my friend!" she exclaimed, jumping in front of Thor.

"Wow! These are some prime Asgardian beefcakes guarding our princess!" Lorne said in amusement as he took in Loki and Thor.

"How did you know we are Asgards?" Thor asked.

"Lorne's a seer and knowns lots of things," Cordelia said, hugging her horned friend.

"I see he called you princess. Are you a princess? Or is that a term of endearment?" Thor wondered.

"It's both," Lorne said. "She's princess of my world, Pylea. She abdicated the throne, however, to come back here."

"Not before ending slavery and bringing in democracy!" she said with a smile.

Loki realized that Lady Cordelia was full of surprises. Knowing she was true royalty made her even more attractive to him.

"How about everyone clear the room, so I can talk to Cordelia?" Angel suggested.

"No, we want to know what she's talking about," Fred said. "How do you have a son we don't know about?"

"How can you think working for actual demons is a good career move in our fight as champions?" Cordelia asked him. "And why is Gunn wearing a suit? It's freakin' me out!"

"I'm a lawyer," Gunn admitted. "They did a mystical mojo on my brain."

Cordelia looked at him in horror. "You let a company run by demons mess with your brain? Seriously? It's like you've all gone insane or are drinking some crazy Kool-Aid!" she exclaimed. "Angel, tell me what happened!"

Angel sighed in resignation. He went back to his desk and sat down. "Have a seat, Cordy. This will take a while." He looked around the room. "I guess you all deserve to hear the truth, too." It took him a minute, but then he began his tale. He told them about Conner and how he was taken and raised in a hell dimension by an old enemy. How he'd came back an angry teenager. How he'd had a crush on Cordelia and how they didn't know that Cordy was possessed. She'd slept with him.

Cordelia interrupted with a loud cry and ran to the trash can and threw up. Loki and Thor went to her side. Loki handed her a bottle of water from a nearby table.

"It wasn't you, Cordy," Angel said. "It was Jasmin." Then he explained what happened with the she-bitch that impregnated her in order to be given a foothold into their realm.

Thor and Loki listened in shock. They knew it would take really powerful magic to do what Angel described. The fact that the group had managed to defeat such evil was extraordinary.

"Conner, though, didn't take everything well. To him, Jasmin had been his daughter, and he loved her. He was never fooled by her mirage and didn't care what she looked like. Losing her devastated him. Cordy was in a coma, and he took her and a group of people hostage. He was going to kill himself, possibly everyone in the room," Angel explained. "I didn't know what to do. A deal was offered to me. Wolfram & Hart conceded that we'd won Los Angeles, and they'd turn this branch over to me."

"To corrupt you!" Cordelia said.

"I'm not naïve, Cordy. I'm over two hundred years old. I have a demon inside, and I know exactly what they hope to accomplish. They hope to either turn me back to Angelus or break me," he said in disgust.

"Then how could you work here?" she asked.

"It was my _son_!" he said, standing. "Conner hated me, Cordy. He locked me in a trunk and put me in the ocean for months. After losing you and Jasmine, something inside him broke. He was out of his mind. I failed him in every way possible. How could I not do everything within my power to save him?"

The group listened with various degrees of shock and amazement at his tale. Fred was crying. Lorne was hugging her. Cordelia couldn't believe all that had happened with her body, and yet she had no memory of anything after her ascension to heaven, or what she thought was heaven. "What did you do, Angel?" she asked.

"They agreed to bend reality. Wipe all memories of him from everyone. I'm the only one that remembers him. I guess you do because your mind wasn't here at the time. They wiped Conner's mind and put him with a family that believes he is theirs. He's in college now, and he's happy," Angel said sadly.

"You messed with our memories?" Wesley asked. "You had no right!"

"He is my son. I had every right!" Angel argued. He wasn't going to regret saving his son, nor was he going to apologize for doing what had to be done. It was his choice, and he'd bore the consequences.

"Guys, give me the room. I need to talk to Angel alone," Cordelia said. She looked at Loki and Thor. "I'll be okay."

The group reluctantly left. Thor looked at his brother. "I do not understand these humans sometimes. How they allowed evil to flourish in their midst and not know? How could Lady Cordelia be possessed, and they not realize it?" he wondered.

"Sometimes people do not see what is in front of them," Loki said pointedly.

Thor grimaced, not liking the reminder that he had been oblivious to his own brother's rage and resentment.

Inside Angel's office, the two were silent. Angel couldn't believe she was finally back with him. Cordy couldn't believe what all had happened in her absence. Finally, she spoke, "I'm sorry, Angel. I'm sorry for what you've gone through. I'm sorry about Conner. I can't believe we were cheated of so much with him, and I'm horrified that my body was used in such a manner."

"It wasn't your fault," Angel assured her.

"No, it's your fault. All of it," Cordelia said grimly.

"What?" Angel asked in surprise. "How can you say that? I did everything I could, Cordy. You have to know that!"

"I know that you let Wolfram & Hart make you crazy with Darla's return. We all warned you, and you didn't listen to us. You pushed us aside and boned that monster. I don't know if Conner was a blessing or a curse, but he was ours for a time. Yet another bad choice on your part caused him to be taken from us. You made the enemy that wanted vengeance," she said.

"That was Angelus, not me!" Angel reminded her.

"I know, Angel, but still, you refused to listen to any of us. Wesley tried to warn us. Everything fell apart," she said. "I get that you didn't know what to do to save Conner. I can't imagine how horrible it was."

"He was going to kill you, Cordy. There are exactly three people in this world that give my life meaning—that I can't imagine living without, and he was going to kill two of them," Angel said. "I would've made any deal to save him—to save you."

Cordelia couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Her love for Angel and his son had been so strong, but now she felt like it was all ashes.

Angel went around and pulled her into his arms while she sobbed against him, mourning all that they'd lost. Conner had been like her baby. They were a family, and now it wasn't just gone, but it had been poisoned. She'd had sex with Conner. How could she have let that happen? It didn't matter that she wasn't in control. Just knowing that her body, her memories had been used in such a demented way broke her heart. Her love for Conner had been twisted. She had been used to twist his mind. Now he was gone, and Angel was working for the very people who had been trying to destroy them from the beginning. Hopelessness filled her.

"Don't cry, Cordy. It's going to be okay. Now that you're here, my connection to the Powers is back. We can continue our mission and do the work we were meant to," Angel said.

Cordy pulled away. She reached for a tissue on a nearby table and wiped her eyes. "No, Angel, I can't work here. I could _never_ work here," she said.

"What are you talking about? I can't do this without you!" he exclaimed, upset.

"But you are. You've been doing it for weeks. You sold out, Angel," she said. "I get that you were in an impossible position. I understand why, but it's still a mistake. This place won't just destroy you, but it will also destroy our friends. Did you think about that? Look at what has happened to Gunn already?"

Angel felt a desperation that he'd never felt before. "Please don't do this, Cordy. I need you!" he begged.

Tears rolled down Cordelia's cheek. "I'm sorry, Angel. You know that I love you. I will always love you, but I can't let this place distort my gift. I won't watch them destroy you and my friends," she said. She kissed him one last time, throwing all the passion into it that she'd never allowed herself to feel for him. Then she stepped away. "Goodbye, Angel."

Angel, his heart breaking, watched her walk away. Unlike the time he left Buffy, he was the one having to watch the woman he loved walk out of his life. He didn't have Buffy, and now it appears he wouldn't have Cordelia either. He sat back done, cursing his existence. For a long moment, he considered breaking his window and letting the sunlight stream in, ending his misery. However, he knew what hell awaited him—he'd been there once before. Somehow, he'd make this right. He'd find redemption and die a human. Or he'd die having done as much as he could to atone for what all Angelus had done.

Outside his office, Cordelia's friends were waiting for her. "You're staying, right?" Fred asked hopefully.

"No, Fred, I'm not. And neither should you," she said. "This won't end well for any of you. I don't know how Angel convinced you to sign on with this place. Did you sign your soul away?"

"I was careful looking over the contract," Wesley said.

"I bet," Cordy said, not convinced. "I love you guys, but this isn't going to be something I will ever be okay with. If you're smart, you'll walk away while you can." She hugged each of them.

"Where are you going?" Wesley asked.

"I don't suppose my house and my ghost are still there?" she asked.

"Angel has kept it up for you," Gunn told her. "Dennis has kept all squatters away."

"He misses you," Fred said.

"I'll be in touch," Cordelia said.

Loki and Thor exchanged concerned looks but didn't interfere. They followed her onto the elevator.

"Are you all right?" Loki asked in concern.

"The man I love is even more out of reach than ever," she said bitterly. "No, I'm not all right. I have no place anymore. Not in Sunnydale and not here. I don't know what I'm going to do."

The men were silent as they rode with her to her house. When she stepped inside, it was like she never left. The lights flickered joyfully as Dennis saw she was home.

"I'm back, Dennis. I'm okay now," she said to the empty room, causing Thor to be very confused. "I missed you, too."

"Who do you speak with?" Thor asked, looking around.

"My ghost, Dennis. He's the best roommate a gal can have," she said. When her luggage started moving on its own, the two men stepped back.

"You allow a poltergeist to reside in your home?" Loki asked in fascination.

"He's harmless like a puppy," she said. "Dennis, this is Loki and Thor. Their dad fixed me up, so excuse their comments."

"Sorry, Mr. Ghost," Thor said, his head moving around the room.

Cordelia giggled, amused at the image Thor presented as he tried to direct his gaze everywhere. "Thanks, big guy. I needed that," she said, amused. "Now, his mother, she was evil. She didn't want him to leave home, so she bricked him into the wall over there." The men looked at where she pointed. "He basically suffocated slowly. Talk about an evil bitch." Thor visibly shuddered at the image. "We exorcised her and hopefully she's in hell right now."

Loki grinned, enjoying how merciless she was. "It does not bother you to stay in a place where murder occurred?" he asked, trying to know her.

Cordelia shrugged. "I grew up on a hellmouth, watched so many classmates slaughtered. Once, Willow and I walked in on several dead school mates, killed in a gruesome way. Dennis died a long time ago, and he is happy being here with me," she explained.

"What do you want us to do, my lady? Are you okay here?" Thor asked. "You can come back to Asgard if you'd like."

"I don't know, Thor. I really don't," she said, feeling hopeless. She sat down on her sofa. "I just want to make a difference in the world—help people. I have visions for that purpose. Can you imagine what it's like to see people near death and be unable to stop it?"

"I imagine it would be horrible," Thor said.

Loki felt, for the second time in his life, small when faced with the selflessness of a Midgardian. Like his adored Tara, Cordelia Chase was an extraordinary woman. He felt compelled to offer a suggestion. "Perhaps the Avengers could have use of someone with your skill set?" he suggested. "Or college. Do you wish to go to college like Tara?"

"If I had the funds, maybe," she admitted. "I did get accepted into NYU and Columbia as wells as UCLA."

"We will make sure you have the funds if that is your desire, my lady," Thor said. "I will talk to Tony. He can help you."

"I don't want to leave Dennis again," she said.

"Surely, Lady Willow can bind him to you instead of this house?" Loki suggested.

Cordelia flashed him a brilliant smile. "That's a great idea! What do you think, Dennis? Want to haunt me instead of this place? Or maybe, if that won't work, my new place?" she asked. The lamp flashed on and off.

"Possibly," Loki said. "I don't think there's much the young witch cannot do."

Cordelia felt better having some ideas of where she would go next. "Thanks, guys," she said. "I appreciate your help."

Thor stood. "I will get Loki back home and then return to aid you. I will call Tony, though, before I leave. Do you have a phone here?" he asked.

Cordelia picked up the phone to see if the dial tone was there. "Yep. Angel must've kept it paid," she said.

"He may not make the best choices, but it is obvious that he cares deeply for you," Thor said.

"I know. But you heard about his Gypsy curse, right? One moment of perfect happiness and he loses his soul. Sleeping with Buffy is what did it for him last time," Cordelia said. "Loving him is never a good idea."

"Poor guy," Thor said with sympathy.

Loki, however, smiled, happy to learn that the vampire was not a real threat for the woman's hand. As an immortal, Loki could wait for her to mourn and move on. "You will come to Asgard again?" he asked hopefully.

"I hope to," she said, smiling. She hugged Loki, surprising him. "Thanks for coming." Then she hugged Thor. He had called Tony, who agreed to come meet Cordelia as soon as possible.

After the two Asgards left, she heard water running. Smiling, she went into her bathroom. Dennis was running her a hot bath. "Thanks, Dennis. I so need a good soak." As she gathered her stuff, finding her night clothes where she left them in her drawers, she thought about the past two days.

Xander was everything she thought he'd be once long ago, yet he was engaged to someone else. Angel, who finally saw her and not Buffy, was further away than ever. Where was her place? Would her world ever make sense again?

Sighing, she got into the hot tub, letting its warmth sooth away everything.

Tomorrow would take care of itself.

***** _The End*****_

_Sequel to this "How to Save a Life Buffy Style" will be posted in a few days._


End file.
